Enrolment options

MUO-E5045 - Materials and Living Systems, Lecture, 3.9.2024-11.10.2024

Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After successfully completing this course, students are able to:

  • Understand the role of design in relation to an eco-systemic context; challenge material values, aesthetics and new/old crafting methods;
  • Find relevant information and incorporate it with their existing design skills into a group project;
  • Record and present the process and discoveries in a learning diary.

Credits: 9

Schedule: 03.09.2024 - 11.10.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Anna-Marie van der Lei

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    We focus on our relationship to the eco-systems our materials derive from. We immerse ourselves in the environment, understand it with the help of science and reflect on our role as designers in the light of this experience.   In the course we explore, understand and work with eco-systems and organisms and materials we encounter. Depending on the annual topic, the course may be conducted in collaboration with a company or organization and include site visits. Students will focus their group work on the role of design within the eco-systems they encounter.   Keywords: experimental, critical, poetic, process-driven, material exploration

Assessment Methods and Criteria

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Documentation and content of background research, material design process and hands-on experimentations; quality of personal learning diary; visual and verbal communication skills. Passing the course requires attending 80% of the contact sessions (lectures, excursions, group meetings and feedback discussions) and personal learning diary kept throughout the course.

    Evaluation criteria: activity during the course, the creative process, quality of the final artefact and learning diary.

Workload

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Course workload 9 ECTS = 243 h

    • Contact teaching: lectures, site visits, group discussions, assignments and final presentation 70 h
    • Independent work: literature study, writing assignments, studio work in groups and individually 142 h
    • Personal reflection 30 h
    • Course evaluation 1 h

DETAILS

Study Material

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Ecoliteracy: Learning from Living Systems (Daniel Wahl) 
    https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/ecoliteracy-learning-from-living-systems-e162df608981 

    Williams, N., & Collet, C. (2020). Biodesign and the Allure of “Grow-made” Textiles: An Interview with Carole Collet. GeoHumanities, 7(1), 345–357. https://doi.org/10.1080/2373566x.2020.1816141 

    Podcast Tidal Sense, BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000sycw 

    Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions, 2013.  

    Collaborations in Design. 2019. Published by Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, New York. Edited by Andrea Lipps, Matilda McQuaid, Caitlin Condell and Gène Bertrand. 

    Collet, C. (2020). Designing our future bio-materiality. AI & SOCIETY. Published. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-020-01013-y 

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    12 Responsible Production and Consumption

    13 Climate Action

    14 Life Below Water

    15 Life on Land

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Teaching Language: English

    Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn I
    2025-2026 Autumn I

    Registration:

    Registration in SISU. Minimum 10, maximum 24 students.

    Compulsory to CoDe major students, other students: please note that there is very limited availability to join this course (at most 1-2 places)

    Order of priority:

    1. CoDe 1st years and CoDe exchange students;
    2. other CoDe students;
    3. Department of Design (exchange) students;
    4. Students from the School of Arts. 

    Otherwise, priority order to courses is according to the order of priority decided by the Academic committee for School of Arts, Design and Architecture, https//www.aalto.fi/en/services/registering-to-courses-and-the-order-of-priority-at-aalto-arts  

Rules of Conduct - Students´ Rights and Responsibilities (in force from 1 August 2020)

Aalto University Code of Academic Integrity and Handling Violations Thereof

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